


Trivial Complexities

by orphan_account



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Archer is implied to have psychopathy and Proton sociopathy, Despite no warnings a slasher film is vaguely mentioned, M/M, What a pair, launchshipping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-24
Updated: 2018-11-24
Packaged: 2019-08-28 15:00:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16725621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Archer gets distracted with his own rumination.





	Trivial Complexities

To Archer, Proton was a perplexing case. 

Never had Archer expected to be swaddled in a fleece blanket with another, watching the flicker of a gory horror-thriller on the television. These trivial things Archer did not care for himself, and thus, never partook in them. Not even under past invitations of others had he joined in brainless endeavors, unless such a move was advantageous to him in some way. 

And yet.

Flesh ripped and blood splattered on the screen. Gruesome details unnerved Archer not, but Proton derived some sort of thrill from it, so Archer listened attentively to his cursing and cheering in all of his brash crudeness. The rowdy one crammed another fistful of popcorn into his mouth, sticking to his ideal that "food tasted better after a good spine-snapping". The film replicated a comedy for him. 

As Proton was left to the enjoyment of his slasher film, Archer was left to his thoughts. To this day, he never truly deduced what attribute of Proton's drew himself to the man. Countless people had Archer encountered, and not a single one invoked a positive stirring within him. Not even his own mother and father could achieve that. If anything, he looked at it from a logical perspective (for the emotional one had always failed him). He reduced it to a simple equation, as he did with most things in life: Being involved in Proton's various shenanigans fulfilled a quota of satisfaction that others left Archer lacking, and thus, it was in Archer's best interest to stick around him. 

He supposed, then, the way he treated Proton varied little from his treatment of others, since he utilized him to accomplish a personal want. The difference, however, was that Proton's quality of fulfillment trumped every other person on the planet, thus making Proton more vital to his needs, and more valuable as a whole (not even including his prowess in the professional setting). Or so was how Archer understood it. 

He didn't know how Proton perceived their relationship, if he had calculated its complexity as Archer did himself, or if it was another reckless "to hell with it--why not?" circumstance Proton commonly found himself in. Nor did Archer bother to ask. He knew, factually, that Proton was more capable than he of experiencing certain warmer emotions in lengthier capacities--not by much, but enough to sway his personal perception a considerable amount. If Proton were to try to explain it to him, he would most likely not understand. But he supposed Proton must have gotten something positive out of their interactions as well. Otherwise he wouldn't instigate them. (Or, he could have been instigating them for his own personal gain. That, Archer knew, was a common function between them. But he calculated everything, and there was no ulterior motives that were plausible, so Archer rested at ease.) 

A hand snatched Archer by the hair, clumsily rattling him from his headspace.

"Hey, pay attention," snarled Proton. "You're missing the best part." 

"I am fully present in body and mind. I assure you, I missed nary a blood spewing." 

"Bullshit. As much as you'd like to, you can't trick me when you're stuck in your own head. Now stop with whatever assessment you're running in there and watch the movie." He emphasized with two little pats to Archer's cheek (or what he approximated to be Archer's cheek, anyhow), before returning his hand to the popcorn bowl. 

Sparing one last glance at Proton's profiled face illuminated in violent colors from the glow of the television, Archer chuckled and proceeded as ordered.

**Author's Note:**

> That feel when you're a psychopath who can't decipher your own feelings towards your sociopathic boyfriend. Have they even officiated their own relationship? Who knows? Archer sure doesn't.


End file.
